This is classic corporate suicide. They begin by cutting heads and dumping the work of those let go to those left behind. Those left behind do their best to cope until they become frustrated and burned out. So what's the answer to this increasingly common scenario? The kids got it right. The company wanted to essentially devalue the work that those let go were doing to 0. So it is written, so shall it be done!

When your manager who has just reduced his department by 25% says "We'll have to pick up the slack." the answer is "Hell no!". You should do what you were hired to do...full stop. If management wants to cut the support staff and expects the engineers to provide support - "Hell no!". If the marketing department is let go and they ask sales to "figure it out and just keep selling" - "Hell no!".

Bad decisions should have consequences. Yes, when sales are down you might need to rethink your staffing and your expectations of what you can accomplish. An honest discussion with staff that explains the situation but reminds them that they were hired for a purpose and will not be expected now to do the work of those cut is what is in order.

DO NOT BE AN ENABLER OF BAD CORPORATE DECISIONS!!

You are part of the problem if you buck up and git 'er done. They will only cut more heads because the first cut really didn't hurt that much, did it?

If you work for a company where this sounds way too familiar take my advice, do less not more and polish that resume. I don't know if I heard this somewhere or I made it up (I'd like to think I did?). The company needs to feel the pain because...

Nothing good happens, until something bad happens.